, 1887-10-18
A BOYS CRIME.
Chicago's Startling Sunday
Sensation.
Banker Rawson Shot by His
Stepson.
He Fires Five Shots in Rapid
Succession.
Tragedy at a Church Door

president was remorselessly shot down
Sunday by his step son to aveDge OF
shield a woman who is charged with con
tinued adultery.
The woman was no less a person than
Mrs. Meckie Rawson, wife of the bank
president who was shot and the mother OF
the assailant. The banker is Stephen w.
Rawson, president of the Union Trust
company, of Chicago. William Lee,
aged II, is the step son.
Banker Rawson, with five bullets in his
body and apparently in a dying condition,
was hastily picked off the blood spat-
tered curb and bundled into one of the
score of carriages that had been waiting
for the wealthy worshipers, while young
Lee, with the empty, smoking revolver in
his hand, was as hurriedly thrown into a
strlkingly different conference.-the blue
painted, common place wagon of the
nearest police patrol that came rafting
around the corner. Away went the car
riage in one direction and off in the other
dashed the patrol, while all around on
the streets and sidewalks CAPPED the
horror stricken attendants of the five
great churches in that vicinity who were
just pouring u after the mornings
praise of Him who commanded, Thou
shalt not kill" Thou shalt not commit
adultery"
Slowly the crowds began to recover
their dazed senses and to recall in detail
the fearful circumstances OF the crime
Young Lee had been seen for half an hour
previous pacing the stone sidewalk on
Ashland avenue near Madison, fronting
the Third Presbyterian church. This is
the church of which DIR. Withrow, recent
ly from Boston, is pastor, and which be-
came widely known as the charge of DR..
Kittridge, who is now located in New
York. OF this church Banker Rawson
has long been d leading light, and he was
still an honored member, Notwithstanding
the fact that he has been charged by his
wife with perjury and other o%ffenses
enough to make him, if true, a veritable
whited sepulchre.
He on the other hand alleged that she,
although prominent IN society and a
beautiful roman in appearance, was really
a ~disreputable, blasphemous, devilish-
tempered adventures who courted only
his money. For a year or more the two
had been fighting each other in the di.
vorce courts, and within a week the
banker has filed against her additional
charges of adultery.
Little attention was paid to young Lee
as he stalked backward and forward past
the church entrance, and he was lost in
the crowd. When the gaily dressed
crowd began to come out, among them
the well known form Of the bank pres,
ident.
Mr.. Rawson was about to step to his
carriage when, breaking the sweet, ma
iestic one of the organ, came the sharp
crack of a revolver, followed by a groan.
An earthquake could have scarcely pro-
duced more confusion at the moment
among the throngs of gentleman, ladies
and children and the long tier of carriages
and coachmen that lined the sidewalks in
every direction. A din OF screams began,
but they subsidized. Almost instantly the
slender, well dressed youthful Lee was
seen to quickly, but coolly, steady his
shining pistol with his left hand, while
with his right he again pulled the fatal
trigger.
With the stifed cry I'm killed" the
aged millionaire fell PROSTATE on the stone
floor, turning his agonlzed white face at
The cold, set countenance of his stepson
Not till the last of the five chambers had
been emptied into the old mans body did
Lug cCGIu W bltdIhC. ihC CIONu SttlnGu
rooted to the stones i'll horror and helpless
till a policeman came running to the Gene.
Then began a wild scene, and Lee, turn.
ing to the officer, hoarsely whispered:
Take me to Jail, quickl' 1t seemed
scarcely q IN till the patrol wagon
bore him away.
When the dying banker reached his
home six physicians had been called.
They probed for the bullets and found
that all had lodged in the legs and arms
save one; that entered near the small of
the back, and nearly as could be judged,
had plunged through his abdomen. II
his life was saved it would be little short
of a miracle.
Over at the police station young Lee
asked a reporter to carry Mrs. Rawson
(his mother) the news. She occupies
apartments at the Continental hotel.
The reporter sent up word that he had
extremely important business, and he was
presented without delay to a plump, dark
complexioned, handsome woman in the
prime of life, the most noticeable features
of whom was a pair Of swapping black
eyes. She was clad in a tasteful, tight
fitting dark dress and white Jacket
well, what business have you?' she
said.
Then you have heard nothing of your
SOM"
No, what is it?"
well he has got into a little trouble.
He"
go on, what has he dOnc?"
well, he is arrested. He had some
trouble with Mr.. Rawson."
go on. and tell me what he has done.
Don't keep me in suspense, eagerly
broke in the woman.
He shot him-but it isn't serious, "
quickly added the reporter, as Mrs. Raw
son closed her eyes and trembled with ex-
element. The last portion of the SEN
tence caused Mrs. Rawson's eyelids to
raise and she brought her head up with a
Jerk. Go on and tell me all.
That is about all. He shot him sew
eral times and"
"And is he dcad?" eagerly broke in the
woman again.
No; but he is probably fatally injured.
He cannot recover from his wounds"
Tlz- .Lauo ,ro, a a., Tho ra,,nrIar